1 And I, Baruch, went from thence, and came to my people, and I called my first-born son and [the Gedaliahs] my friends, and seven of the elders of the people, and I said unto them:
2 Behold, I go unto my fathers
According to the way of all the earth.
3 But withdraw you not from the way of the law,
But guard and admonish the people which remain,
Lest they withdraw from the commandments of the Mighty One.
4 For you see that He whom we serve is just,
And our Creator is no respecter of persons.
5 And see you what hath befallen Zion,
And what hath happened to Jerusalem.
6 For the judgment of the Mighty One shall (thereby) be made known,
And His ways, which, though past finding out, are right.
7 For if you endure and persevere in His fear,
And do not forget His law,
The times shall change over you for good.
And you shall see the consolation of Zion.
8 Because whatever is now is nothing,
But that which shall be is very great.
For everything that is corruptible shall pass away,
9 And everything that dies shall depart,
And all the present time shall be forgotten,
Nor shall there be any remembrance of the present time, which is defiled with evils.
10 For that which runs now runs unto vanity,
And that which prospers shall quickly fall and be humiliated.
11 For that which is to be shall be the object of desire,
And for that which comes afterwards shall we hope;
For it is a time that passes not away,
12 And the hour comes which abides for ever.
And the new world (comes) which does not turn to corruption those who depart to its blessedness,
And has no mercy on those who depart to torment,
And leads not to perdition those who live in it.
13 For these are they who shall inherit that time which has been spoken of,
And theirs is the inheritance of the promised time.
14 These are they who have acquired for themselves treasures of wisdom,
And with them are found stores of understanding,
And from mercy have they not withdrawn,
And the truth of the law I have they preserved.
15 For to them shall be given the world to come,
But the dwelling of the rest who are many shall be in the fire.